CM @ 60

I put down the laptop after reading a story in the Alton newspaper about the event held at East Alton-Wood River Community High School where they were honoring some of their most impressive graduates. Good for them, I thought.

It forced me to make this declaration for all to read. I am a graduate of Civic Memorial High School in Bethalto and I received a very good education. In fact, as a lifelong educator….I would say it was an extraordinary education and---in the words of the Beach Boys--- I will always be true to my school. I will always bleed purple and gold and my loyalty has not been lessened by my distance away from childhood.

In 2011, CM turns 60. She graduated Mary Etta, my mom. She gave a diploma to me and then to my oldest son. While I was well satisfied with the education given to my two youngest boys in Wayne County----I regret they also didn’t graduate from CMHS.

Wood River had some rather impressive honorees during their shindig. But CM boasts former NFL alums, major college basketball players, medical doctors, lawyers and captains of industry. Just last week I got a call from an old friend, Steve Jankowski, who is now the alumni director at SIUE, who told me that an old friend had just been honored by the college. His name is Fernando Aguirre. Fernando was a native of Mexico who came to CMHS as an exchange student and decided to stay and go on to SIUE. He is now the president and CEO of Chiquita Bananas Inc.

As I’ve blogged before---I graduated with three medical doctors. All in one class…all members of one very bad CM football team. Incredibly impressive and yet almost never pointed out by the administration of the school.

Often, in my role as a college administrator at Lewis and Clark Community College, I would hear about the quality of the grads from Edwardsville….or Alton High…..or Marquette. They were quality grads…and deserved the plaudits. But where’s the love for CM?

It started as a community effort from the Bethalto Rotary Club back in the early 1950s. A visionary named Wilbur Trimpe came from Havana, Illinois and forged together constituencies from Cottage Hills, Meadowbrook, Forest Homes and Bethalto to create a consolidated school system. Then he went to Washington to convince federal authorities that so many of the post-war ammunition and refining workers needed a bedroom community school district nearby for their kid’s education. He got the money to build what is now Wilbur Trimpe Middle School, or the first Civic Memorial High School. The first class listed was 1951. That’s three generations ago. Three generations of student success.

When I left Bethalto, I hadn’t missed a football game in a decade. I never missed a home basketball game and my wardrobe was conspicuously purple. In fact, most of those clothes have been passed on to three nephews who will all graduate from CM.

If you were to ask me my proudest moments in my existence-----I would probably point to moments when I was wearing purple. Being introduced at the old basketball court…..on senior night as a senior football player…..or honoring my son on his senior nights.

I have never found a replacement. I enjoyed games in Fairfield….and I haven’t been able to get into West Texas High School football. And basketball here….well they don’t get too excited about anything until after football…which is around Christmas.

The point to this blog? From a thousand miles away, I am saying my life, my livelihood, and all that I possess were directly influenced by a little high school in Bethalto, Illinois. Maybe you feel that way too…..maybe not.

I don’t come back anymore because I have a wonderful life and job here. But I felt it important to state, for the record, how I feel about my alma mater. God Bless CM High as she rolls towards sixty. She deserves more recognition…..

“My praise to you. My heart is true-----I sing my praises to CM High.”